The Man Without a Face
by Moroi Mikomi
Summary: Faceless, always there, but never truly known. What was he sent for?


**A/N:** This is a one-shot that I feel is my best yet…..and the whole Hatori-Kana thing is so tragic, it makes me cry just thinking about it, so of course I had to write a story about it! Please review!

**Disclaimer:** Don't own furuba

The Man Without a Face

_I longed to feel his arms wrapped around me. He told me he loved me; why wouldn't he hug me? _

The times in which I thought this were often the days that he seemed to be the most distant. There were days in which I was vaguely aware that he was hiding something; there were other days in which this idea became truth. Today was just another day . . . another day hidden in doubt about who he really was.

_I can't stop this feeling anymore. Why can't he be honest with me?_

We were at his home, sitting on the couch. It _would_ be the perfect time . . .

"I love you. You have no idea how happy I am."

"I love you too."

With those words, I couldn't take it anymore. I threw my arms around him for our first real embrace.

"Wait! Kana—"

A cloud of smoke consumed him, and all that remained in my hands was a tiny seahorse.

_A seahorse. . . ? Oh no, what did I do!_

"Water? No! Seawater?"

_Did I just say that?_

"Which is it? AHHHH!"

Without an answer, I did the only thing that seemed reasonable: I placed him in the bathtub brimming with water.

_I hope he's okay . . . what did I do?_

Another cloud of smoke filled the room. I turned around and waited for him to change back into his clothes.

"Kana . . . I'm sorry. I should have told you the truth, but I didn't know how. And . . . I'll understand if you don't love me anymore. I'm cursed with the spirit of the dragon in the Chinese zodiac."

"Of course I still love you! I could never stop loving you just because of one small thing."

"You know, if you threw a real seahorse into the tub like that, it would probably die."

_Oops._

"I'm sorry, I was afraid of that! I guess I was so shaken up at the time, I couldn't think."

I left the towel on his head. "I always wondered why you never wanted to hold me. But, it's okay. I'm so happy to have met you, and even happier to have fallen in love with you!"

And I meant those words. I really did.

When I saw those tears fall from his face, I knew that something within him had changed.

He would no longer be the same person.

---------------------

I loved the life I was living. Becoming a doctor, working next to the man I loved and hopefully would marry. When he asked me to come with him to meet Akito, to ask permission to be married, I never thought anything bad could come of it. I naturally assumed that everything would continue going as planned, that this was just a small step to be taken.

But I was wrong, and bore that day what no person should ever have to endure: the guilt, the constant sadness of causing pain to another.

As he asked for the right to be married, I stood by and watched. I watched Akito pick up the vase. I _watched_ him throw it as my beloved screamed out in pain.

"If he loses his sight, it's YOUR FAULT! It's all YOUR FAULT!"

I stood by, helpless, not knowing how to protect him.

"Kana! Get him out of here!"

I merely followed Shigure's orders, taking him to a hospital to discover that he would go blind in one eye. The guilt was more than I could bear.

_If only . . . I would have protected him . . . shielded him . . . if only I would have thought faster and acted instead of standing in the shadows. This wouldn't have happened if it hadn't been . . . for me. _

_In this, I am the guilty party._

From that day on, I was merely following orders. I tried to pick myself up and be strong for him, to show him that I was still holding on . . . but his eye . . . the bandages . . . everything became a constant reminder of what I had not done. I fell apart at the sight of him.

"I'm sorry . . . I couldn't protect you. Maybe . . . it would be better if we had never met."

_For your sake. So you wouldn't have suffered. So you never would have had to worry._

He held my hand. "It's alright, Kana. Close your eyes. You won't have to suffer anymore."

I did as I was told, merely following orders.

Merely powerless.

_I don't want to forget. The pain is unbearable . . . but the thought of forgetting you is worse. To know that you'll be better off without me._

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

_Please, don't make me forget._

"It's my fault . . . I couldn't protect you."

_I'm sorry I couldn't be what you needed._

A flash of light—

-----------------------

I jumped up at the sound of my alarm.

_Another dream._

For years, the same dream had been playing like a movie reel in the night and rewinding during the light of day. The same beautiful beginning with the same tragic end. The same man, with no name, hidden by the shadows . . . the man without a face.

"Is something . . . missing?"

I looked at the body that lay next to me. Sweet, loving . . . a generous husband. "No, dear," he said. "I don't think anything is missing." He smiled at me and went to take a shower.

_The same man appears in my dreams every night . . . like he's been sent to save me._

_Aren't I already saved? I have a husband, everything a woman could ask for. _

_No, it's only a dream . . . a story of fantasies and imaginary people._

_It's only a dream . . . _

**Fin**

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